Beginnings
by audi
Summary: Keisuke again... He feels sorry for himself... Tetsuya breaks up with Yui... Why? (Tets+Kei...) [the conclusion 3/3]


My fourth little POV and the third in this mini-series thing. Companion to Her and Sayonara. i felt guilty for leaving Kei and Tets all alone, and I have a thing for 'happily ever after' yaoi.

i do realize that i suck at first person anything, but humour me.

**Spoilers**… For Eikoden, i believe that's the second OVA. Tets+Kei, Tets+Yui, Taka+Mia, Hoto+Nuri and Chi+Tas.

audi  
thegoddess@goddess.com

**Beginnings.**

The book's been gone for six months now. I mean, gone – honestly and truly. I never thought I'd see it again, and I wouldn't have if not for Sakaki*, and that whole ordeal. It was just like old times… Tetsuya and myself crowded around the book watching as it wrote itself. It _would_ have been just like old times, if not for Miaka laying in the hospital bed and Yui looking over my other shoulder.

But I can't be angry at Yui today. I promised myself that I'd be happy. Which is why we're all here in hospital again. Tetsuya, Yui and myself are just leaning back, waiting, as are Kawai* and Sakaki… As for Taka*? He's pacing about like any other father-to-be. Since Sakaki's gotten over Taka, everything seems to be working better. Again, everything is as it should be. And with my luck the next event we'll be gathered at will be Tetsuya's wedding. Okay, I'm not over him and I never will be.

The baby's born, they've named her Hikari… kind of ironic. But it's all well and nice, my sister and brother-in-law and their daughter. So very few are these happy events, well, events that I don't sit and stare at Tetsuya the entire time and pretend I'm not. It's really a surprise he hasn't noticed me staring at him and stopped talking to me in disgust.

Even with the body switching, Hikari is healthy, but they want to keep Miaka in hospital for the night, Taka's going to stay. He makes such a cute father, Chiriko was right after all.

Chiriko… Minna… I wonder how they're doing? How many years have past? Chichiri and Tasuki will always be together. Hot-headed Tasuki and calm Chichiri, they really are a perfect match… It's Nuriko's reincarnation that bothers me. Or, rather, lets any hope I still had of winning Tetsuya go down the drain. Why did he have to be reborn female to win Hotohori?! It's. Just. Not. Fair!

Wait, I said I'd be happy today.

'Hard when every thought I have is drawn to _him_.

I've outworn my welcome, as per usual. No one ever says it, but I know it's true. They never want to hurt my feelings, such as they are. I live not two miles away so I walked, so what I wanted to dally in my thoughts? It is such a nice night for it. Lovely and filled with stars that glow in defiance.

The streets are quiet, it's a time when sensible people sit with their loved ones. Still there's footsteps behind me. Long, full strides of a person who's got a purpose. I sigh a bit and move over on the sidewalk to allow him to pass, he's going much faster than I am. He doesn't pass, instead he slows his speed, matching me stride for stride. I glance over to my right;

It's _him_.

"I wanted to talk to you." Simple words. So I was right, he _does_ have a purpose. His voice is as charming as it always is, I want to melt right here, right now. Somehow I form the word "oh?", well, it's not really a word, is it? But all I can manage right now. I'm worse in my self-pity when I'm around happy couples than normal – how much happier can a couple get than having a first child?

His hand falls on my shoulder forcing me to stop. Contact. He looks at me, his deep brown eyes cutting in to my soul. For the first time in a long time he's not wearing his characteristic sunglasses. I've missed seeing his eyes. "It's about Yui." He stated blandly. I've listened to him for years. He's talked to me about everything, told me his deepest secrets, but I'm sure I want to know where he's going with that statement.

Is he waiting for me to say something? What would I say, though? I don't know where he's leading. Don't know if he can read it from my face or not. Probably not, I think I've become quite good at hiding my feelings.

"We decided that when she met someone, we'd call off our relationship." Again, a bland comment. He could have been talking about the weather. "She met someone a few months ago." "Tetsuya…" Okay. Just because I'm not happy that I'm not with him, doesn't mean I'm not happy for him. Most of the time he was with Yui, he's been happy. I want the one I love to be happy.

He shook his head, begging me not to say anything else. "I've never been to her what she needed, I've always just kind of been _there_. So, I'm not upset, not really."

My heart was pounding, I'm surprised he can't hear it. Tetsuya's free… As in, available, single… Who am I kidding? Did I not decide that it was best for him to not know? Best one life's ruined, not two.

"Then… Why?"

He smiles a bit before answering; "Why what?" His hand on my shoulder tightens, he doesn't intend for me to answer. "Why'd we break it off? Why we were together? Why I came to you? Why…" he bit his lip and turned to the side, adverting his eyes.

"Tetsuya…" I mumble again. Why's he so aggravated? That would have been a nice one to add to the list. "Ne, Tetsuya, daijoubu ka?"*

"How could I be?" he asks softly turning back to me. "Yui and I promised to be there to save each other sanity. I never wanted her, Keisuke…" Your free hand reaches up to caress my face and my heart skips a beat.

In a single moment, I break every rule I set for myself. He's so close and… What else could I do but kiss him? And he's kissing me back. This has to be a dream!

"Yume wa desu ka?" I ask hesitantly as I open my eyes. He looks real and feels real… he tastes real, too. But my dreams have surprised me before. And in the end, I'm all alone. I don't want to be alone anymore.

"God, I hope not." He snakes his arms around me and kisses me again. The longing behind his kiss rivals the longing I've felt in my heart.

_'Finally!'_ I hear my mind call out to me. Finally, indeed. At last, all is right and as it should be.

  
  
* Sakaki Mayo, the reason for the second OVA. Basketball player who was enamoured with Taka.  
* Kawai Saori, Mayo's best friend, also on basketball.  
* Sukunami Taka… Tamahome…  
* Tetsuya, are you okay?  
* Is this a dream? 


End file.
